The present invention relates to blood-pressure monitors, and more particularly to noninvasive-blood-pressure (NIBP) monitoring apparatus with relatively adjustable, noninflatable, pressure-information-providing (PIP) structure.
Conventional noninvasive-blood-pressure (NIBP) monitoring apparatus includes a cuff-inflation/deflation system to apply occluding pressure to a subject's blood vessel, and ultimately to measure blood-pressure parameters from sensed changes in an associated blood-pressure cuff used to apply such pressure. Sometimes disappointingly, the design of such NIBP apparatus, as embodied in prior art systems, often involves unwanted costs and complexities relative to valving and pressure-fluid-flow management to and from the inflatable cuff. For example, conventional monitors include pumps, valves and pneumatic hoses. Further complexities are introduced in some instances with the requirement for relatively extensive electrical "tethering" of such apparatus to external equipment for acquiring diagnostic data.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide NIBP monitoring apparatus that overcomes the disappointments and inefficiencies, such as those just mentioned, associated with such conventional monitors.
Another object is to provide such apparatus which features a non-inflatable device for applying occluding pressure to a subject's blood vessel.
A still further object is to provide apparatus of the type mentioned that is essentially completely self-contained, free-standing, and ambulatory, and that does not require any sort of physical tethering to external equipment.
Yet another object is to provide such apparatus that accomplishes proper vessel occlusion to acquire blood-pressure data.
It is also an object of the invention to provide apparatus as outlined that can be manufactured easily and cost-effectively.